A NEW £1.8million fleet of ambulances are to be launched in Derbyshire.

East Midlands Ambulance Service has bought 14 new ambulances for the county along with 10 fast response vehicles.

The new ambulances will act as fully equipped mobile treatment centres and have been designed with help from staff and patients. More than 40 modifications have been made to the manufacturer’s standard vehicles to help medics when treating casualties.

Tim Slater, EMAS’ Assistant Director of Operations for Derbyshire, said: “These vehicles have been designed to meet the needs of patients in Derbyshire, based on insight from local crews. Our vehicles are our treatment centres and the changes suggested by our clinicians will help them do their jobs even more effectively.”